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Quiet Technology Halo Headset
- Thread starter Ironflight
- Start date
cjensen
Well Known Member
I've probably used mine about 30 hours or so since July, and I've had ZERO problems with them in various airplanes. I've used them in RV's, Mooney's, Trinidads, Comanche's, and no problems. All of these airplanes have different IC systems...I am 100% happy with the Halo's.
I mis-spoke (mis-wrote?) when I said I had problems with the Halo with the FlightCom 403. I was using the AuriComm 2.5 headset from the same manufacturer and had problems. I returned it for the Halo and have yet to try it with the came intercom.
--
Michael
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Michael
sonex293 said:
dan
Well Known Member
Yeah. Mine came with a pack containing several earpieces of 3 different styles...narrow foam, wide foam, and rubber.jarhead said:
I was "ok" with the wide foam ones, but I now use the rubber ones exclusively. The seal is waaaay better than the foam, and they are considerably quieter since you can get a good seal. With the rubber earpieces, the QT Halo is quieter than any other headset I've ever worn, including Bose series I and II and the entire Lightspeed ANR line including Thirty 3G. Granted, you need to be comfortable with cra p in your ears in order to use the rubber seals.
You can also get custom earmolds. I haven't done that yet but probably will soon.
There's a decent round-up of several of the in-ear headsets in this month's Kitplanes magazine.
dan
Well Known Member
The bass response did improve with a better seal...marginally. It still pales in comparison to the music audio quality with the Lightspeed 25XL and Thirty 3Gs. High end is great, it's the low end that suffers...as I would expect from any in-ear design. It took me some time to adjust to the difference.grjtucson said:
As far as I can tell, that has been the only sacrifice. At first I thought it might be a showstopper, since I'm into my music...but I'm so pleased with the comfort and quiet of the Halo (not to mention no more batteries) that I'm willing to live without the good low end bass response for music. For me, the benefits far outweigh the loss of bass response.
mark manda
Well Known Member
When I see Sharpie taxi by as Flight Leader there's something not quite right.
It's that dog gone fishing hat he wears.
We're going formation flying and he's wearing one of those big soft Gone Fishing hats.
It's that dog gone fishing hat he wears.
We're going formation flying and he's wearing one of those big soft Gone Fishing hats.
dan
Well Known Member
I paid like big bucks for a nice Tilley hat to wear at OSH. I love it. And man am I glad I got that puppy. It kicks butt with the in-ear headphones and really keeps the sun out. No more sideburn sunburn!mark manda said:When I see Sharpie taxi by as Flight Leader there's something not quite right.
It's that dog gone fishing hat he wears.
We're going formation flying and he's wearing one of those big soft Gone Fishing hats.
I never could wear it in flight when I had the big clunky headset headset. Now I wear it every time I fly!
rv7boy
Forum Peruser
dan said:
Wow, Dan, you're my hero!!!
After I got my QT Halo's I realized I could wear any kind of broad-brimmed hat for UV protection and not be restricted to a baseball cap while wearing those clunking headsets. Now I'm only a pair of wings, a fuselage, a finishing kit and a Tilley hat away from getting to try it out. Oh yes, I need the O2 cannula, too!!! Don
dan said:
OOOPS... I shoulda been more clear in my question...
I was referring to the plug that you plug into the aircraft with, not the earplugs. Sorry Dan.
I'm asking because I'm in training right now to be an In-Flight Refueling Operator (boom operator) on the KC-10. With 12+ hour missions in my future, I'm thinking the Halo will be more comfortable than the DC I'll probably be issued, even with Oregon Aero earcup seals and head cushion. I know the -10 uses a single plug, which looks to be 1/4", but looks longer than "standard". I could be wrong though...
Ken -
The short answer to your question is...I don't know, but a couple of thoughts:
1) You can buy dual plug to single plug adapters from a number of places.
2) Now that you're talkign about using it in the KC-10, you'll find that the military impedences for both earphones and mics are differnt from civilian - so you'll need an electronic adapter as well....it can be a lot of trouble.
I'd suggest getting to know your life support guy well, and see if he can build something up for you.
Paul
The short answer to your question is...I don't know, but a couple of thoughts:
1) You can buy dual plug to single plug adapters from a number of places.
2) Now that you're talkign about using it in the KC-10, you'll find that the military impedences for both earphones and mics are differnt from civilian - so you'll need an electronic adapter as well....it can be a lot of trouble.
I'd suggest getting to know your life support guy well, and see if he can build something up for you.
Paul
mark manda
Well Known Member
I dunno about those glasses. what's the the world coming to? don't buy stock in ray bans' bosch lomb? or sell my stock?
tonyjohnson
Well Known Member
halo...still the thing?
I need a new headset. I have followed the threads here on headsets and it seems that the halo is well thought of in the RV community. The posts on this thread are a couple of years old.
Is the halo still the latest and greatest? Any other newcomers to the market that would be worth looking at? There is a "special" on the halo for $349 from quiet technologies....is there any reason to wait for sun and fun?
Can special moulded earpieces be used instead of the buds? Does anyone know a good source for those.
Thanks,
Tony
I need a new headset. I have followed the threads here on headsets and it seems that the halo is well thought of in the RV community. The posts on this thread are a couple of years old.
Is the halo still the latest and greatest? Any other newcomers to the market that would be worth looking at? There is a "special" on the halo for $349 from quiet technologies....is there any reason to wait for sun and fun?
Can special moulded earpieces be used instead of the buds? Does anyone know a good source for those.
Thanks,
Tony
frankh
Well Known Member
Pry them out of my cold dead fingers!
The Halo's are by far the best I've ever owned...Not for everyone mind you, My Wife hates any kind of earplug.
Most folks I know use one of the many supplied styles of earplug, There are quite a few to choose from that they give you with the headset.
If you don't get on with any of those only then go for the molded earplug would be my advice.
Frank
LOUD 7a
The Halo's are by far the best I've ever owned...Not for everyone mind you, My Wife hates any kind of earplug.
Most folks I know use one of the many supplied styles of earplug, There are quite a few to choose from that they give you with the headset.
If you don't get on with any of those only then go for the molded earplug would be my advice.
Frank
LOUD 7a
cjensen
Well Known Member
I've had my Halo's since Oshkosh '06, and LOVE them. I've used them in several airplanes (including RV's), and I decided yesterday to give them a whirl in the King Air for the first time. They blew the noise cancelling Senhieser's we have in there out of the water! Quieter, and MUCH more comfortable!!
Still two thumbs way up on these things!
Still two thumbs way up on these things!
tonyjohnson
Well Known Member
thanks
Thanks guys for the information. Based upon the positive responses from RV guys, I ordered a halo.
Tony
Thanks guys for the information. Based upon the positive responses from RV guys, I ordered a halo.
Tony
tonyjohnson
Well Known Member
Thanks
Art,
Thanks for the reply. I ordered a halo yestarday and asked the owner of QT about the moulded earpiece. He says you cannot use them with the halo, and that they let in more noise than the earpieces he supplies with the halo.
In a former life I was a secret service agent and used a moulded earpiece for radio communication and liked them. The goal there was not to eliminate ambient noise, in fact that would have been undesirable. I guess I will go with the ones that he supplies.
Thanks,
Tony
Art,
Thanks for the reply. I ordered a halo yestarday and asked the owner of QT about the moulded earpiece. He says you cannot use them with the halo, and that they let in more noise than the earpieces he supplies with the halo.
In a former life I was a secret service agent and used a moulded earpiece for radio communication and liked them. The goal there was not to eliminate ambient noise, in fact that would have been undesirable. I guess I will go with the ones that he supplies.
Thanks,
Tony
just got my Halo's this week. Absolutely love 'em. Super super quiet and you don't even feel them on your head after a few minutes. Sound is crystal clear.
I am one of those people that is very particular and very skeptical but I can honestly say I am completely satisfied with my Halo's and all the other reivews to the same extent are right on target.
I use the large yellow tips and I ordered some Comply Canal Tips from www.earplugstore.com (do a search on "Comply") and they are super comfortable (I don't work for earplug store either.)
If anyone wants to trade I have the slim blond ear tips that I do not use....would be willing to trade them or the white tri-flanged tips for the yellow tips. Just remove ".no spam" from my e-mail address.
thanks to all those who contributed to this string that helped my choose the halos.
rich
I am one of those people that is very particular and very skeptical but I can honestly say I am completely satisfied with my Halo's and all the other reivews to the same extent are right on target.
I use the large yellow tips and I ordered some Comply Canal Tips from www.earplugstore.com (do a search on "Comply") and they are super comfortable (I don't work for earplug store either.)
If anyone wants to trade I have the slim blond ear tips that I do not use....would be willing to trade them or the white tri-flanged tips for the yellow tips. Just remove ".no spam" from my e-mail address.
thanks to all those who contributed to this string that helped my choose the halos.
rich
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tadsargent
Well Known Member
QT halo
I just got my Halo's and i need assistance with vox setup.
I cannot hear sidetone while speaking to the passenger. I have the Flightcom 403 stereo set to stereo as well as the headset. The Garmin 300XL has been turned off and on with the same result. The Halo volumn is way up and the squelch is also at a low setting to the right. Again no sidetone. Transmitting seems 3x5 to 5x5. I really like acro and formation with these and need help.
Regards,
Tad Sargent
7A "Stripes"
I just got my Halo's and i need assistance with vox setup.
I cannot hear sidetone while speaking to the passenger. I have the Flightcom 403 stereo set to stereo as well as the headset. The Garmin 300XL has been turned off and on with the same result. The Halo volumn is way up and the squelch is also at a low setting to the right. Again no sidetone. Transmitting seems 3x5 to 5x5. I really like acro and formation with these and need help.
Regards,
Tad Sargent
7A "Stripes"
Tad-
here's the problem I had.....under the mic muff the mic may not be pointing directly at your mouth.
i.e. when I took my set out of the box and put it on the mike was pointing up rather than at my mouth and I didn't realize it until I took the mic muff off to see where the mike was pointing.
Once I realized what the shape of the mike is I am able to easily aim it directly at my mouth by squeezing the mic muff to feel the mic's orientation.....and now my side tone is 5x5 all the time.
hope this helps...
rich
here's the problem I had.....under the mic muff the mic may not be pointing directly at your mouth.
i.e. when I took my set out of the box and put it on the mike was pointing up rather than at my mouth and I didn't realize it until I took the mic muff off to see where the mike was pointing.
Once I realized what the shape of the mike is I am able to easily aim it directly at my mouth by squeezing the mic muff to feel the mic's orientation.....and now my side tone is 5x5 all the time.
hope this helps...
rich
atreff
Well Known Member
Jimbo, buy the headsets.....but get a trimmer
Jim,
Buy the headset. I share your pain.
(OK, this is gonna be 'too much information' for you other guys, but just sit tight.)
I too was born with too many hair follicles. Nose, eyebrows, ears. Have you seen Morley Safer's eyebrows lately? Or Andy Rooney? That's mine without trim. Panasonic and others make good pain free 'nose hair trimmers' for around $10. They work well on the ear canals as well. I do mine frequently.
In all actuality tho, the ear tips go way down in the ear canal, past my hedgerow of hair.
Art in Asheville.
jim said:
Jim,
Buy the headset. I share your pain.
(OK, this is gonna be 'too much information' for you other guys, but just sit tight.)
I too was born with too many hair follicles. Nose, eyebrows, ears. Have you seen Morley Safer's eyebrows lately? Or Andy Rooney? That's mine without trim. Panasonic and others make good pain free 'nose hair trimmers' for around $10. They work well on the ear canals as well. I do mine frequently.
In all actuality tho, the ear tips go way down in the ear canal, past my hedgerow of hair.
Art in Asheville.
R
Rutus
Mic Positioning???
Well, after mulling over this and related threads, I splurged on a Halo set for myself. My prior headsets are Lightspeed 20XLs, and frankly I have always felt that they were less effective than I would like in cutting down the noise (I have no sound insulation and very little upholstery in my -6, but all in all I suspect it is more or less the same noise level inside as any other RV).
The Halo does take a minute extra to set up and get the earbuds in, and is kind of flimsy, but in two test flights I've found they do a notably better job at sound suppression than the Lightspeeds (at least to my ear), and comfort of the earbuds is great. What I don't like is the floppy nature of the whole assembly, and in particular trying to get the mic positioned and kept in place so that I can break squelch and get consistent transmit and intercom quality. The mic boom is pretty floppy - and, the supplied mic muff seemed overwhelmed by the cockpit noise. I swapped on an Oregon Aero muff from the Lightspeeds - which helped a lot, but now makes the mic even heavier at the end, and harder to keep in place.
So far I've worn these only in the "behind the head" configuration, and may try the "on shoulders" setup next, to see if that helps.
Anyone have any similar experiences with these, and/or advice on the mic issues? I really like the light weight and sound attenuation, but the floppy mic problem has me thinking of sending them back.....
Well, after mulling over this and related threads, I splurged on a Halo set for myself. My prior headsets are Lightspeed 20XLs, and frankly I have always felt that they were less effective than I would like in cutting down the noise (I have no sound insulation and very little upholstery in my -6, but all in all I suspect it is more or less the same noise level inside as any other RV).
The Halo does take a minute extra to set up and get the earbuds in, and is kind of flimsy, but in two test flights I've found they do a notably better job at sound suppression than the Lightspeeds (at least to my ear), and comfort of the earbuds is great. What I don't like is the floppy nature of the whole assembly, and in particular trying to get the mic positioned and kept in place so that I can break squelch and get consistent transmit and intercom quality. The mic boom is pretty floppy - and, the supplied mic muff seemed overwhelmed by the cockpit noise. I swapped on an Oregon Aero muff from the Lightspeeds - which helped a lot, but now makes the mic even heavier at the end, and harder to keep in place.
So far I've worn these only in the "behind the head" configuration, and may try the "on shoulders" setup next, to see if that helps.
Anyone have any similar experiences with these, and/or advice on the mic issues? I really like the light weight and sound attenuation, but the floppy mic problem has me thinking of sending them back.....
hevansrv7a
Well Known Member
For Rutus
Just some hints from similar experiences.
1] The mic on the Halo is very directional. You have to ensure it is pointed directly at your mouth. That will cut down a great deal on ambient noise. I don't need a muff on mine and my -7A TU is pretty noisy. It overwhelms my Pilot ANR for example.
2] I have a relatively narrow head and mine stays in place fairly well. Try tightening up the head band a little.
Just some hints from similar experiences.
1] The mic on the Halo is very directional. You have to ensure it is pointed directly at your mouth. That will cut down a great deal on ambient noise. I don't need a muff on mine and my -7A TU is pretty noisy. It overwhelms my Pilot ANR for example.
2] I have a relatively narrow head and mine stays in place fairly well. Try tightening up the head band a little.
R
Rutus
I'll give those tips a try - I REALLY liked the quieter environment with the Halo, so solving the mic issues would be great. My seats are comfy, and the cockpit otherwise is a nice place to spend the day, but the noise is what gets me on long flights, and really adds substantially to the fatigue. The Halo looks to be a big improvement (at least for me) there...
John,
One other tip i have found is to make sure that the band around the back of your head is tight up against the back of your head....if you let it sit out a ways, the mic is much more likely to flop up and down, as the assembly pivots around your ears. Also, try changing the length of the band by pulling the tip (opposite the mic) in and out. This changes the position of the mic relative to the center/side of your mouth, and can also have an affect.
Bottom line - play with the fit to get what works best for you!
Paul
One other tip i have found is to make sure that the band around the back of your head is tight up against the back of your head....if you let it sit out a ways, the mic is much more likely to flop up and down, as the assembly pivots around your ears. Also, try changing the length of the band by pulling the tip (opposite the mic) in and out. This changes the position of the mic relative to the center/side of your mouth, and can also have an affect.
Bottom line - play with the fit to get what works best for you!
Paul
rv7boy
Forum Peruser
atreff said:Jim,
Buy the headset. I share your pain.
(OK, this is gonna be 'too much information' for you other guys, but just sit tight.)
I too was born with too many hair follicles. Nose, eyebrows, ears... <SNIP>
Art, I know this doesn't add to the aviation part of this forum, but I thought I would share what a doctor friend of mine told me. Hair growing longer on/in the nose, long eyebrows, and extra ear hair are all part of the aging process due to hormonal changes as we men grow older. What fun...what fun it is to get older!!!
Don
Side by Side vs Bose
Got the opportunity to do a side by side comparison between the Halo and the Bose on Saturday. The aircraft was a very smooth & quiet Cessna T210, and the owner proudly offered me his headset with the qualifier that I would want to buy one after the flight. In cruise, I switched to my halo to compare.
Verdict: Bose probably more comfortable over a long flight, since they are so light and don't clamp your melon. But, there was no noticeable difference in noise level.
I'm glad I saved $600.
Got the opportunity to do a side by side comparison between the Halo and the Bose on Saturday. The aircraft was a very smooth & quiet Cessna T210, and the owner proudly offered me his headset with the qualifier that I would want to buy one after the flight. In cruise, I switched to my halo to compare.
Verdict: Bose probably more comfortable over a long flight, since they are so light and don't clamp your melon. But, there was no noticeable difference in noise level.
I'm glad I saved $600.
f1rocket
Well Known Member
I bought a Halo at Sun-n-Fun and wore it on the trip home. My observation is that the Halo is as quiet as my LighSpeed 30G EXCEPT the Halo cannot remove the lower level engine drone sound. I don't seem to hear this sound with the LightSpeed ANR circuitry. The Halo is much more comfortable and light, but I doubt that it's as quiet at all wavelengths as an ANR set.
jcmcdowell
Well Known Member
Halo and Music input??
Does the Halo have a input for music?
My ANR headset does and it is really great- especially when flying AC wo music inputs built-in to the audio system.
I'm on the verge, but this is my hold out reason.
Does the Halo have a input for music?
My ANR headset does and it is really great- especially when flying AC wo music inputs built-in to the audio system.
I'm on the verge, but this is my hold out reason.
CraigH@KRPH
Well Known Member
No input for music.jcmcdowell said:
rocketbob
Well Known Member
halo hack
I bought a Halo headset at SNF, and really like it, once I got it bent up to fit my noggin precisely. I wasn't crazy about the foam earplugs or the lick-and-stick rubber ones. The foam plugs work well but I didn't find them comfortable or easy to insert into my ears; the lick-and-stick rubber plugs were more comfortable but didn't work as well. I have a big box of E-A-Rsoft Neon Blasts earplugs in my shop. I prefer those to any other earplugs, so I decided to make those work with the my Halo headset. The Earsofts are much softer, smoother and more comfortable and have a 33dB NRR. So I took a steel pop rivet and and held it in my vise, heated the mandrel red hot with a cigarette lighter and poked a hole through a set of Earsofts. Then I cut a 1" or so piece of 1/16" heat shrink tubing for each earplug, put a tiny dab of superglue on the heatshrink, then used another pop rivet to shove the heatshrink thru the earplug. Then of course I hooked those up to the Halo, and went flying. I found them to be even more quiet than the somewhat rigid foam plugs that come with the Halo's and definitely more comfortable. Easier to insert too. So now I have a cheap and nearly endless supply of earplugs for my Halo that work better than the ones that come with it.
Regards,
Bob Japundza
RV-6 flying 850 hrs. F1 under const.
I bought a Halo headset at SNF, and really like it, once I got it bent up to fit my noggin precisely. I wasn't crazy about the foam earplugs or the lick-and-stick rubber ones. The foam plugs work well but I didn't find them comfortable or easy to insert into my ears; the lick-and-stick rubber plugs were more comfortable but didn't work as well. I have a big box of E-A-Rsoft Neon Blasts earplugs in my shop. I prefer those to any other earplugs, so I decided to make those work with the my Halo headset. The Earsofts are much softer, smoother and more comfortable and have a 33dB NRR. So I took a steel pop rivet and and held it in my vise, heated the mandrel red hot with a cigarette lighter and poked a hole through a set of Earsofts. Then I cut a 1" or so piece of 1/16" heat shrink tubing for each earplug, put a tiny dab of superglue on the heatshrink, then used another pop rivet to shove the heatshrink thru the earplug. Then of course I hooked those up to the Halo, and went flying. I found them to be even more quiet than the somewhat rigid foam plugs that come with the Halo's and definitely more comfortable. Easier to insert too. So now I have a cheap and nearly endless supply of earplugs for my Halo that work better than the ones that come with it.
Regards,
Bob Japundza
RV-6 flying 850 hrs. F1 under const.
jcmcdowell
Well Known Member
Halos' work great...
I was initially disappointed- to the point of returning them. I couldn't hear through them. I tried adjusting the headset volume, comm radio volumes, audio panel volumes, intercom volumes/squelch- I just couldn't get it to work!
As a last resort I called the good Doctor about my problem.
It turns out my headset plug was wired backwards! No problem with the other headset, but it showed up on the Halo. Ten minutes later, it was working great!
As you know, the RV cabin is pretty loud in flight. My other cheap ANR headsets MIC gain can't be adjusted high enough to cut out the cabin noise in flight. It drives me nuts! The halo does an excellent job combined with the intercom squelch.
I was happy for years with my $250 ANR headsets, but now I fear I'll have to get another Halo headseet for my wife and passengers because I can't stand all the cabin noise coming through the passenger MIC.
I was initially disappointed- to the point of returning them. I couldn't hear through them. I tried adjusting the headset volume, comm radio volumes, audio panel volumes, intercom volumes/squelch- I just couldn't get it to work!
As a last resort I called the good Doctor about my problem.
It turns out my headset plug was wired backwards! No problem with the other headset, but it showed up on the Halo. Ten minutes later, it was working great!
As you know, the RV cabin is pretty loud in flight. My other cheap ANR headsets MIC gain can't be adjusted high enough to cut out the cabin noise in flight. It drives me nuts! The halo does an excellent job combined with the intercom squelch.
I was happy for years with my $250 ANR headsets, but now I fear I'll have to get another Halo headseet for my wife and passengers because I can't stand all the cabin noise coming through the passenger MIC.
Quiet Technologies GREAT customer service
Bought a set back in 06. Told the wife they were for her(this sometimes helps with aviation purchases).. Well, she liked them but we sold the plane about the same time. We only used them 3 or 4 times and the mic seemed to not work well. It seemed like you had to shout for other passengers to hear you, But we both liked how they felt and did not use them enough to be bothered..
One year later, we have another plane and i got the Halo's out to fly to OSH (I have used them less than 1 hr up to now) On the way to OSH my friend/co-pilot and i determined that there was something wrong with the mic. I talked to Quiet Tech. owner at his booth and he said bring them by. So next day i did. He took 30 seconds to look over and try them out, then handed me a BRAND NEW SET! That was it! Said my mic was bad maybe from an old series or batch or something, but i don't care, He fixed the problem without excuses or charges. Now i wish i had mailed them in earlier but we had not used them enough to really say it had a problem.
I Love companies that treat their customers right and I want to share that experience here. The trip home was great with the Halo's.
NOW..(fastforward a month) .I am thinking the Halo's are mine to use and the wife will use the lightspeeds.... NOT,,, we load up saturday to go somewhere and I start putting the Halo's on and she wans them... hmmm.(I thought since it had been well over a year she would forget about them) I made the excuse that i already had the Halo's plugged in the pilot jacks and we did not have time to change them up, plus, the lightspeeds she was wearing were a much more expensive set (she usually likes the expensive stuff). Got away with that coming home also, but now i have to buy another set because we both want to wear them.
jeff h
austin tx
Bought a set back in 06. Told the wife they were for her(this sometimes helps with aviation purchases).. Well, she liked them but we sold the plane about the same time. We only used them 3 or 4 times and the mic seemed to not work well. It seemed like you had to shout for other passengers to hear you, But we both liked how they felt and did not use them enough to be bothered..
One year later, we have another plane and i got the Halo's out to fly to OSH (I have used them less than 1 hr up to now) On the way to OSH my friend/co-pilot and i determined that there was something wrong with the mic. I talked to Quiet Tech. owner at his booth and he said bring them by. So next day i did. He took 30 seconds to look over and try them out, then handed me a BRAND NEW SET! That was it! Said my mic was bad maybe from an old series or batch or something, but i don't care, He fixed the problem without excuses or charges. Now i wish i had mailed them in earlier but we had not used them enough to really say it had a problem.
I Love companies that treat their customers right and I want to share that experience here. The trip home was great with the Halo's.
NOW..(fastforward a month) .I am thinking the Halo's are mine to use and the wife will use the lightspeeds.... NOT,,, we load up saturday to go somewhere and I start putting the Halo's on and she wans them... hmmm.(I thought since it had been well over a year she would forget about them) I made the excuse that i already had the Halo's plugged in the pilot jacks and we did not have time to change them up, plus, the lightspeeds she was wearing were a much more expensive set (she usually likes the expensive stuff). Got away with that coming home also, but now i have to buy another set because we both want to wear them.
jeff h
austin tx
Finally got a chance to try out my Halo today - A friend was taking a C182 into Sydney Harbour and down the coast so I took the opportunity and tested the Halo. I've been using Bose X's for most of my flight training so I was amazed to find the Halo was just as quiet (if not quieter - I was using the yellow plugs) and much lighter and comfy than the Bose.
I'm very happy with my set - so much so that I will buy another pair for PAX to use. It was great to get out of the plane feeling fine - The pilot and the other passenger were using Bose X's and they got a out sweating... I got a better, lighter product for about $390AUD delivered to Oz - compared to the $1500AUD they charge for Bose X's over here I got a bargain.
I'm very happy with my set - so much so that I will buy another pair for PAX to use. It was great to get out of the plane feeling fine - The pilot and the other passenger were using Bose X's and they got a out sweating... I got a better, lighter product for about $390AUD delivered to Oz - compared to the $1500AUD they charge for Bose X's over here I got a bargain.
Quiet Technologies with custom earmolds
I'm not (yet) an RV owner or builder but I thought I'd share my experience with QTs 'Auri-Pro' headsets. Similar to the Halos but without the headband. After deciding that foam plugs don't properly support the microphone boom I went the extra mile and bought two custom ear pieces. This entails a trip to an audiologist ($50) for the ear molds, then a 5 week wait for the earpieces.
It was worth the wait and expense! I've worn mostly Peltor headsets for most of my 11,000 hours (Metroliners, Saabs, and now Embraer 145's) and the Auri-pros are so much more comfortable the the Peltors (and therefore more comfortable than David Clarks). The custom ear molds really do block out more sound than any passive headset I've worn. I don't have any experience with active noise cancelling headsets so I can't make any comparison. Subjective sound quality for both the ear piece and the microphone is much better the the Peltors or DCs.
Comfort is a personal thing, but I find the in-ear, custom ear pieces to be much more comfortable than traditional headsets or even foam or silicone earplugs. Some people don't like anything in their ears, but I don't find it objectionable at all. Your mileage may vary.
Do whatever it takes, but PROTECT YOUR HEARING! (I'm shouting because of my hearing loss from flying Metroliners!)
I'm not (yet) an RV owner or builder but I thought I'd share my experience with QTs 'Auri-Pro' headsets. Similar to the Halos but without the headband. After deciding that foam plugs don't properly support the microphone boom I went the extra mile and bought two custom ear pieces. This entails a trip to an audiologist ($50) for the ear molds, then a 5 week wait for the earpieces.
It was worth the wait and expense! I've worn mostly Peltor headsets for most of my 11,000 hours (Metroliners, Saabs, and now Embraer 145's) and the Auri-pros are so much more comfortable the the Peltors (and therefore more comfortable than David Clarks). The custom ear molds really do block out more sound than any passive headset I've worn. I don't have any experience with active noise cancelling headsets so I can't make any comparison. Subjective sound quality for both the ear piece and the microphone is much better the the Peltors or DCs.
Comfort is a personal thing, but I find the in-ear, custom ear pieces to be much more comfortable than traditional headsets or even foam or silicone earplugs. Some people don't like anything in their ears, but I don't find it objectionable at all. Your mileage may vary.
Do whatever it takes, but PROTECT YOUR HEARING! (I'm shouting because of my hearing loss from flying Metroliners!)
QT Halo, FTW
I'm still using training wheels on rental 172's. No experience with music, lots of experience with headsets. I'll stick with the halo.
It's <pick an adjective> cold here, and the airplane interior is pretty cold starting out. And flying. And taxiing back.
My nice warm fur-like hat with huge side flaps works while flying - with my halo headset. Today was the most comfortable winter flight I've had (I remembered to take the fur hat to the a/c!).
I'm still using training wheels on rental 172's. No experience with music, lots of experience with headsets. I'll stick with the halo.
It's <pick an adjective> cold here, and the airplane interior is pretty cold starting out. And flying. And taxiing back.
My nice warm fur-like hat with huge side flaps works while flying - with my halo headset. Today was the most comfortable winter flight I've had (I remembered to take the fur hat to the a/c!).
Tbone
Well Known Member
Squeal also
I also purchased the Quiet Tech's and had the same problem. The owner of the company said that the intercom on my plane had a grounding problem. I immediately sent them back for a full refund. They had already been sent back within a week of purchase because of a bad solder connection. I did not have the squeal before they fixed the solder joint. I also told them it was very unusual for both my planes to have a intercom problem at the same time and no problems with other headsets. They are probably a good headset, but with two strikes it did not set too well with me. Just my two cents. On the other hand I did purchase a set of Clarity Aloft Pro's and had one of the plugs come loose on the clamp area. Will have to send them back for repairs. Maybe I'm too hard on those type of headsets, but IMO they are fragile units.
I also purchased the Quiet Tech's and had the same problem. The owner of the company said that the intercom on my plane had a grounding problem. I immediately sent them back for a full refund. They had already been sent back within a week of purchase because of a bad solder connection. I did not have the squeal before they fixed the solder joint. I also told them it was very unusual for both my planes to have a intercom problem at the same time and no problems with other headsets. They are probably a good headset, but with two strikes it did not set too well with me. Just my two cents. On the other hand I did purchase a set of Clarity Aloft Pro's and had one of the plugs come loose on the clamp area. Will have to send them back for repairs. Maybe I'm too hard on those type of headsets, but IMO they are fragile units.
java
Well Known Member
New HALO's
Just got my HALO's and went for a first flight with them. They are much quieter than my trusty DC passives (10-13.4's). Also, much lighter, more comfortable, and unobtrusive.
My only beef after one flight is that the mike boom is a little too short. Try what I might, it only comes to the side of my mouth rather than directly in front, which made me feel I had to speak out of the side of my mouth (not a problem if you're Jean Chretien, but uncomfortable for me - gratuitous joke for my fellow Canadians who visit the forums...)
I've tried bending the head loop, per the instructions, but the "hook" placement of where it drapes on the ear (mike side) does not appear to be adjustable.
Anyone else have this issue? Suggestions? My next step is to contact QT.
Just got my HALO's and went for a first flight with them. They are much quieter than my trusty DC passives (10-13.4's). Also, much lighter, more comfortable, and unobtrusive.
My only beef after one flight is that the mike boom is a little too short. Try what I might, it only comes to the side of my mouth rather than directly in front, which made me feel I had to speak out of the side of my mouth (not a problem if you're Jean Chretien, but uncomfortable for me - gratuitous joke for my fellow Canadians who visit the forums...
)I've tried bending the head loop, per the instructions, but the "hook" placement of where it drapes on the ear (mike side) does not appear to be adjustable.
Anyone else have this issue? Suggestions? My next step is to contact QT.
vlittle
Well Known Member
Just got my HALO's and went for a first flight with them. They are much quieter than my trusty DC passives (10-13.4's). Also, much lighter, more comfortable, and unobtrusive.
My only beef after one flight is that the mike boom is a little too short. Try what I might, it only comes to the side of my mouth rather than directly in front, which made me feel I had to speak out of the side of my mouth (not a problem if you're Jean Chretien, but uncomfortable for me - gratuitous joke for my fellow Canadians who visit the forums...
I've tried bending the head loop, per the instructions, but the "hook" placement of where it drapes on the ear (mike side) does not appear to be adjustable.
Anyone else have this issue? Suggestions? My next step is to contact QT.
Jase, the microphone boom extends! It telescopes in/out of the main headset.
Have a look.
Vern
RV7Factory
Chief Obfuscation Officer
Well I'll be <blank>... I had no idea! Thanks Vern.
